Green Elephants
by SensuallyPassionate
Summary: Final Installment of my 'Purple Elephants' trilogy. Phoebe has encountered a problem with her ex-husband, Kato, that has left her broken, confused, betrayed, and hurt. Helga has a solution that may not only fix her ailment but also her broken heart.
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

**Chapter theme song: "Stay with me" by: Danity Kane**

"You can't do that, Kato!"

"The hell I can't, Phoebe." I watched hopelessly as he shoved me out the way to stride into the parlor. "I'm her father and I feel it is best if she lives me with in Tokyo."

"No!" I roared, marching up to him to meet his undying glare. "Haruhi just began to adjust to life in the states. She just started school a month ago and has made a bunch of new friends. Think of her life, Kato!"

"I am!" he quipped, shoving past me again to storm into the kitchen. I watched silently as he went into the fridge to raid the shelves. He took out a carton of cranberry juice, grabbing a glass from the pantry above. "Look," He paused, running a single hand through her hair. "I don't want to fight, Phoebe. Can you just agree to this one thing please?"

"Kato, you want to have Haruhi live one year in Japan with you then relocate here back to the states with me every other year? Do you hear yourself right now?"

"I do" he took a sip of his juice. "I don't find it fair that my daughter lives here in the states with you 24/7 when we have joint custody. I can only see her every so often."

"No one is keeping her from you, Kato."

He took one last sip before returning the carton back into the fridge. "I never said you were. I said I don't think it's fair that you get to have her here in America while I am in Japan. I don't come out here often, Phoebe."

"You can catch a flight here, Kato." I barked, getting highly irritated. I made a conscious effort to keep my voice down to avoid Haruhi from hearing us. She was sleeping upstairs and had a nasty habit of eavesdropping on adult conversations. "You can even avoid hotel costs by staying here."

"How about you come to Tokyo, Phoebe." He snapped, getting irritated with my combative spirit. One of the main reasons we divorced was not only his infidelity, but because I had a forbidden flame sparked back up with seeing Gerald again. He was used to me being very passive and nonchalant about it all, allowing him to be the dominant figure in our relationship. He was unfamiliar with the witty, quick-to-snap-back woman that emerged from the ashes of a burned, young girl. "You are so quick for me to shell out a couple thousand."

"I have no money, Kato!" I screamed, getting angry. "You left me without a cent to my name remember? Or how about you cutting off my tuition payments and having me drop out of school to become a full-time stay at home mother. Did you forget that?"

He huffed, turning his back on me to retrieve his coat from the back of the kitchenette chair. Wrapping his scarf around his neck and putting his leather gloves in his left hand, he made his way towards the front door. Clearly we were not going to come to a mutual agreement in one day and it was best we separate before we really got into a full-fledged argument. "This is going nowhere."

"I concur."

"I rather we be able to sit down like adults and have a conversation that does not involve either of us screaming our heads off over a situation beyond our control."

"My sentiments exactly." I spoke proudly, speeding up to walk his pace in order to beat him to the front door. I found it funny how love could turn into legitimate hate in such a short period of time. My divorce with Kato was bittersweet, but a much needed release for me. Ever since Gerald left Japan and I decided to patch things up with Kato for the sake of Haruhi, things have not been remotely the same. It was made evident where my feelings truly belonged and the true nature of Kato Santori. Kato was a damn good father to Haruhi, but a lousy husband. He was one of those men that just were cut out for a monogamous relationship. After much counseling, therapy, and prayer, I finally called it quits and filed for divorce. Although Kato refuses to admit it, he knew it was an inevitable choice I had to make not only for the sake of our marriage, but for our family as well. Haruhi being raised in a household where it was filled with constant screaming and bickering about the same old nonsense was not a healthy environment to raise an impressionable child in. "What time do you want to meet this week to discuss this further? You leave next week."

"I don't." he flatly whispered. He retrieved his hat from his left jacket pocket before opening the door to be met with the harsh winds of late winter Hillwood. "I'll see you in court."

_COURT!?_

That had me taken aback. "C-court?" he nodded. "What for?!"

"To get a judge mandated order allowing my daughter to live with BOTH her parents in alternating years. I know it's a tough situation but I deserve to see Haruhi just as much as you do."

"You bastard!" I slapped him, hard. The cool, snow-kissed air tugged lightly at his burning flesh. I watched him slowly register what had just happened before he retaliated; grabbing me by my wrist to pin me against the side closet that rested near the door. I tried kicking him in his groin but his masculine strength had me pinned good to the wall. I rested helpless against the wooden frame; taking numerous blows to both my face and stomach, screaming in pain and agony. I clutched my rib cage, dropping to the floor like a weeping wallflower once he released his grasp. He kicked me for good measure before grabbing a handful of hair, dragging me to the carpeted steps of the stairway.

There was a small creaking sound, both Kato and I immediately looking up to meet the astonished gaze of Haruhi. "Daddy, what are you doing to Mommy?!"

"Mommy and Daddy where just messing around, sweetheart." He lied, watching intently as our daughter descended the steps; clutching her stuffed bear. "Go back to bed."

"You were hurting Oka-san."

I shook my head, feeling Kato release his death grip of my hair. "Daddy did not mean it, Kiwi." I called her by her nickname. "We were just talking. Go back upstairs."

My voice remained gentle. Haruhi scanned both of us, diverting her gaze between Kato and I, before retreating back to her room. I knew she would be posted by the air duct to listen in more carefully. I looked at Kato, eyes still filled to the brim with malice and unvented rage. He stood, looking down on me, huffing lightly before he turned to leave. I watched him walk towards his truck parked on my driveway, leaving footprints in the freshly fallen snow. Once out of sight, I closed and locked the front door, retreated to my room, and collapsed into my bed. I began weeping, fear of losing the only person I had left in my life. After my fallout with my mother and learning of my father's cryptic past, I cut them out of both Haruhi's life as well as mine. My mother would still call every so often, even without a response, to check on Haruhi and I while my father remained M.I.A. With the divorce of Kato, it left us-obviously- on not so good terms with one another. The only person I had in my life that was family was the only person that I loved more than life itself, my precious daughter, Haruhi.

I wiped away a few stray tears long enough to pick up the receiver of the house phone to dial Helga. It rang a couple of times without an answer and just when I was ready to hang up, she answered.

"Crimeny, who the hell is calling at two in the fucking morning!?"

I sniffled. "I'm sorry, Helga. I can call back later."

"Phoebes?" her voice softened, sounding more alert now that sleep was now forgotten. "You ok?"

"No, I got into another fight with Kato."

She sighed, silently swearing over the phone. "Do I have to give him a taste of ol' Betsey?"

I chuckled lightly at the thought. Kato may be strong enough to man handle me but certainly not Helga. "Helga, you are eight months pregnant."

"So!" she interrupted. "I dare him to try something. Ol' douche bag will have another thing coming. What a sleezeball."

"Helga, as much as I appreciate you right now, I need to talk to you about something important."

I listened as she turned on her bed side light and got comfortable. "What is it, Phoebes? What is going on?"

I took me a few minutes to finally say it- in between me sobbing heavily and wiping away trails of snot. "Kato wants to take Haruhi away from me."

"What?!" she shrieked, waking a startled Arnold. She shushed him before he had a chance to ask questions. "What the hell?"

I nodded. "He said he wants to take me to court to get a judge to sign off on him being allowed to take Haruhi away for an extended period of time. He wants her to live in Tokyo!"

"But she just got settled into her new school just a few weeks ago." She paused, sucking in her breath before calling him a slew of obscenities. "What a scumbag! Can he do that?"

"We have joint custody of Haruhi but I have sole physical custody and he plans to challenge that ruling by taking me to court." I began to ball my eyes out again, feeling a headache come on; but I did not care. I was not willing to lose my baby. She was all I had left. "Helga I don't know what to do? I have no money, I work a mediocre job as a part-time waitress, and I am only living in the fancy house because of the child support payments Kato gives and the generosity of both you and Arnold. I can't afford a lawyer, let alone a good one that is going to win my case."

Helga remained silent, whispering to Arnold for a short while before calling out to me. I was beginning to think she fell asleep on me. "Phoebes, you still there?"

"Yes, Helga, I am here."

She sighed. "Go grab yourself a nice glass of wine, some chocolate, some fruit, and, hell, break out your toy if you have to. Don't let that moron get you all stressed out. Haruhi is not going anywhere, I promise. I think I have a damn good lawyer in mind that I know would win your case."

**A/N: You kittens didn't think this was over did you? I am such the trickster ^_^ This will be the FINAL story to the 'Purple Elephant' series. If you all are not caught up, I suggest you read both my preceding works before embarking on this one. It'll make a lot more sense. Also, the songs that inspire each chapter in bold above so feel free to check it out on the tube of the you. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. It's just a small teaser of what is to come. If you all know me by now you know I am full of twists and turns so buckle up for the final ride. I believe this one will outdo my other masterpieces. I wish you all a safe and happy weekend. I am off to have dinner with my husband. Enjoy my dark, twisted fantasies**

**SensuallyPassionate**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter theme song: "Here We Go Again" by: Demi Lovato**

**Gerald**

I sipped my coffee, giving Arnold another through look over. "What's really going on?"

He shrugged, grinning, taking another sip of tea. He gave it a good twirl of his spoon for good measure before meeting my perplexed gaze. He lifted a single brow. "What?"

"You're hiding something."

"No, no , no." he insisted, raising his hands in defense. "I just called to ask you to lunch since you have been so busy lately. I can't treat my best bud to lunch anymore?"

I chuckled. "I know you, Arnold. As much as I never turn down a free meal, I know you have an ulterior motive."

He laughed. "You really think I am that much of a condescending person?"

"Yes." I answered much too quickly for his taste. There was a small pause before we exchanged laughs again. I picked up my coffee mug and downed the rest of my bitter tasting drink before nursing it down with a bite of my fresh-baked banana muffin. Arnold had offered to treat me to lunch at a more upscale joint but a simple coffee shop was a welcomed change of pace. I was damn-near suffocating in my suit and tie events with my colleagues and senior partners on the nightly basis. I cannot even remember the last time I actually had a home cooked meal. It felt good to just relax for once in a simple jean and- my infamous- red jersey sweatshirt. "So, what's really going on?"

He let out an exasperated sigh, running a single hand along his face. "Before you blow a gasket, remember, this is all HELGA'S idea."

I rolled my eyes. "So you're blaming your wife now?"

"But it is true." He defended. "I tried to talk her out of it but she insisted you were not only the best person for the job but, also, the most qualified lawyer she knew."

"Go on."

"…I need to ask you a favor."

"What kind of favor?"

"A favor to help a…mutual friend get out of a sticky situation."

Arnold definitely had my attention. I set my muffin back down atop of the saucer resting beside my newspaper, grabbing my bottle water. I took a small sip before answering. "What did Curly do this time?"

Arnold chuckled. "Surprisingly, Curly has remained out of trouble…for now…but it's another friend we are familiar with."

I urged him to continue. "And?"

He breathed. "I need for you to keep a level head right now, Gerald."

I was not seriously interested and highly curious. If Curly was not out breaking animals free from the zoo or peeping through young girl's windows, who was? "Arnold, who are you talking about? Stinky? Harold? Sid?"

He shook his head in response. "It's…"

"Gerald!" I turned to see my fiancée, Chandra, walk through the front doors of the coffee shop; shopping bags in tow as sashayed across the room to greet me and Arnold. She kissed me before reaching across the table to hug Arnold. I watched her set her bags in the vacant seat beside me before sitting in the one across from me next to Arnold. "I didn't know you came here often."

"I don't." I replied. "Arnold wanted to treat me to lunch but I was not really in the mood for actual food and with this being one of his favorite spots, we decided to come here."

Chandra smiled, reaching across Arnold to snatch my muffin. She took a small bite, giggling, before giving it back to me. "That's a good muffin."

"I know, that's why I got it." I laughed.

"So, what are you boys up to?" she asked, trying to ease into the conversation.

Arnold stood, pushing up his chair. He looked at his watch before tossing away his trash. "Actually, I was on my way out. I have to get to the hospital."

"Emergency?"

"No, but I have a…thing to go to. I'll just call you later, Gerald."

Arnold and I exchanged looks, me looking more confused as Arnold looked as if he were about to shit his pants. "Arnold, what's with the change of attitude?"

He shrugged. "I just remembered I had my thing to do to; that's all." He pleaded, but I did not buy it. I scanned him one last time before I just gave up and dismissed his strange behavior altogether.

"Alright, man. Give me a buzz later. But before you go, who does Helga need me to represent?"

Arnold's face flushed, he diverting his stare between Chandra and myself. I was not officially curious. Arnold stuffed his hands in his pockets, kicking imaginary rocks before letting out a nervous cough. "I'll just tell you later, Gerald."

"Why can't you tell me now?" Arnold gave a 'look', bulging his eyes towards Chandra while tilting his head in her direction ever-so-slightly. I didn't get it. "Well?"

"Gerald…"

"Well?" I repeated, getting irritated. He sighed. "Who is it?"

"Gerald…"

"Well?"

There was a small pause before he spoke again. "Phoebe."

I chocked on my coffee, trying to catch my breath. I looked at Arnold, in an utter state of shock and confusion, then at Chandra who looked mighty pissed. She bit her bottom lip lightly, twitching her half-balled fists before grabbing my muffin again. She took an agitated bite before setting it back down on the saucer. I was so busy trying to decipher what she was thinking that I completely missed the fact that she and Arnold were beginning to argue. "What the hell does she want?"

"That's between her and Gerald." Arnold began. "I rather have him discuss the details with Phoebe first before I involve other people in her business."

"What does she want with Gerald? Can't she find another goddamn lawyer?"

Arnold sighed, rubbing a hand along his face. I began to see why he wanted to discuss this with me when Chandra was not present. "Again, Chandra, I rather let Gerald…"

She cut him off, putting up her hand to his face. "Stop right there." She turned to me, full attitude blazing. "Why the hell is your ex asking you for legal advice?"

"Chandra…" I began, stuttering. I had no chance to gather my thoughts, let alone fully register what was happening. One minute Arnold and I are having a friendly conversation over coffee on one of my seldom off days and the next, I have an angry Black woman on my case ready to bash me over the head with banana muffin. "Baby…"

"Don't 'baby' me!" she spat. She literally went from zero to sixty in less than a minute. "Why does that _bitch _keep coming into our lives?"

Something inside of snapped. I didn't like that 'word' being used to refer to the only woman, aside from Chandra, I loved more than life itself. I pushed back my chair, slamming my fists on the coffee table before glaring directly at my fuming fiancée. She jerked a bit, slightly stunned. "Don't call her that!" I roared. "Phoebe is not a bitch."

She grew mute, Arnold's mouth gaping as we earned a few glances our way. I took a moment to settle down, clearing my throat as I sat back down to the table. I took a nonchalant sip of my coffee, trying to simmer the situation. I was beginning to get a migraine. Out of all the days for this to happen, today had to be the day. Chandra and I just got back together the day before yesterday, I proposed to her-again- last night over dinner with her folks, and we just made love this morning. Things were going well for us and I was not trying to muddle everything up because Arnold wanted to drop an atomic bomb over coffee. I sighed.

"Chandra…I'm sorry."

She remained quiet, brushing a stray curl behind her ear before grabbing her purse and shopping bags. "I'm leaving." I jumped up to grab her arm to stop her but she retaliated by stinging me in the face with a cold, hard slap. Her nails scratched underneath my left eyelid and drew a miniscule amount of blood. I held my face, breathing deeply in an effort to ebb my sudden rush of anger. "Don't touch me!"

"Hey, hey, hey!" Arnold interjected, getting in between Chandra and I. "Let's not resort to violence."

"You want to get hit to, Arnold?"

"Chandra, please, calm down." Arnold rationalized. "You are driven off emotion right now and I am going to need for you to not make a scene like we are in some dramatic soap opera."

"Then why in the hell is that…that…woman asking Gerald for help?!" she yelled, stomping her pumps on the tiled floor of the coffee shop. We certainly had a small audience now. I groaned.

"Chandra…" I began, "Calm down. Can we talk about this when I get home?"

She shook her head, folding her arms across her protruding chest; tapping her foot as she waited for an answer. Arnold looked at me and I returned the favor; both of us confused on how to best resolve the situation. I watched Arnold shuffle through his hair before he faced Chandra. "Chandra, Phoebe is asking for Gerald's help only because she has no other options."

"Bull!" she spat with the venom of a snake. She sucked in her teeth. "There are plenty of lawyers in the damn city!"

"None that will be willing to do pro-bono work while still putting their all into her case!" He snapped back, getting in her face. That stunned me a bit. I watched as Arnold calmed down, facing me with solemn eyes. "Look, Gerald, I know you just made partner eight months ago but Phoebe called Helga in a complete emotional mess a few days ago saying that Kato was going to try and get full-custody of Haruhi and relocate her to Japan for an extended period of time. She has no money, works as a part-time waitress as some diner up on Clark, and has no one else to turn to."

I remained quiet, thinking. Damn. I honestly did not know how to respond. That rich bastard was willing to hurt Phoebe that much by taking away their only child? I did not know Phoebe had it that bad where the divorce caused that much of a rift between she and Kato. Last I seen her was eight months ago, during my celebratory party to congratulate me making partner. No one but Arnold and Helga knew I had seen Phoebe that day, let alone spoke to her. We had an emotional reunion after being separated for seven years, me nearly molesting her against the cement walls of my firms parking structure before I finally came to my senses. I decided it was best to say out goodbyes and officially part ways; but not before a nice drive to the countryside where we had a nice picnic lunch under the mid-afternoon sun, munching on seedless grapes, cherries, pineapples, and finger sandwiches before we made love for the last time. Now, eight months later, Phoebe was back in the picture but this time needing my help to keep the one thing precious she had left in her life, her daughter. She already lost her husband because of his infidelity and her affair with me, her family because she had outgrown their bigotry, and me…she could not stand to lose her baby girl.

After a few moments of silence, I looked at Chandra, then at Arnold; both clinging for an answer. I took a second to glance around the coffee shop. It was utter silence as the patrons all hung to the edge of their seats waiting for me to speak. I let out a low groan, weighing the pros and cons of the situation. Of course I had colleagues, and interns, who were willing to do some pro-bono work to earn them a few notches in their belts under 'community service' but Arnold made a valid point; none of them would do more than the bare minimum for Phoebe and wouldn't bat an eyelash if she ended up losing her daughter in the custody battle. But then if I did take up Phoebe's case, I'd have my fiancée, the woman I just got back into my life after realizing I had to let Phoebe out of my life for good, suspicious of my every move and angry with me for God knows how long. Then it came to if I didn't; would be I be able to live with myself in the event that Phoebe lost her only child because I could not separate business from pleasure? I was the best lawyer in my firm; not only did I know it, but even my senior partners knew it. I had the drive and passion that could wrangle with the fiercest of bob cats in and out of the court room. If anyone was going to win Phoebe's case, it would certainly be me.

I gave Arnold one last look before silently nodding my head. He smiled, patting me on the shoulder before we did out signature handshake. "Thanks, Gerald. I'll be sure to let Helga know to tell Phoebe to call you so you two can set up a time to meet to discuss her case."

"Sure." I mumbled, keeping my eyes glued on Chandra. She suddenly became more interested in the coffee shop owner's choice of carpeting for the dining area before she grabbed her things and stormed out. I called out after her but she was already hailing a taxi to head anywhere but where I was standing. I cursed. "I did it again."

Arnold sympathized with me, giving a good chuckle to lighten to mood. "Give her some time. She knows it's nothing going on between you and Phoebe, right?"

"She should." I grumbled, looking through the shop window to see if she magically decided to come back so we could talk. She was still gone. "Dammit, Arnold! Why does this keep happening to me?"

He grew quiet, unsure of what to say. "I mean, really, I just got Chandra back in my life and now Phoebe wants to pop back up again. What type of shit is that, man?"

"Gerald, you don't have to take her case. I can have my other lawyer take it on. He is looking for some work and if I put in a good word for Phoebe, maybe he'll charge her a little less than usual."

"No, man." I sighed, again. "Don't do that. If Phoebe is just some part-time waitress, even working forty hour shifts would not be able to afford a good lawyer."

"So what are you going to do?" He paused, coming to realization. "You don't….still love her…do you?"

Ignored my best friend before grabbing my leather jacket, thanking him for the coffee. I took out my sunglasses and allowed myself to be met with the damp winds of the early spring breeze. I drew in a deep breath before I walked aimlessly down the sidewalk.

_Here we go again…_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter theme song: "It Kills Me" by: Melanie Fiona**

**Phoebe**

"_Helga, are you sure it's alright?"_

_She blew a raspberry before downing her virgin daiquiri. I watched her rub her swollen tummy as she traced the outlines of her son's feet. He had been a lot more active now that it was almost time for Helga to give birth. She could barely sleep for more than three hours before he would grow restless. I smiled in remembrance of when I was pregnant. Haruhi was a restless baby as well when it was a few weeks in before my time to finally deliver. I would be up most of the night begging for her to go to sleep so I could. "Phoebes, chill out will ya'?" Helga burped. "God I hate how potent Arnold is. I just had our first son eight months ago and now I am pregnant again!"_

_I giggled, cradling little Arnold in my arm. He had his mother's beautiful eyes and Arnold's odd-shaped head. His hair was a sandy blonde-brown, with creamy ivory complexioned skin. He smiled, drooling lightly on my blouse but I did not mind in the least. Little Arnold was such a handsome young man. "Oh, Helga, Arnold is so cute. If you ever need a babysitter, you let me know."_

"_Oh believe me Phoebes, I will." She huffed, grabbing a handful of tortilla chips. She munched loudly while trying to fix the hem of her skirt. Helga hated maternity wear and insisted that if she ventured into the plus-size section more often than others she would be able to find things that not only had style but would be comfortable. Much to Helga's disappointment, she received the style and flare she had hoped for but was missing the practicality and comfort of it all. Much of her clothes did not come with an elastic waistband and Helga grew tired of wearing her single pair of sweatpants every other day. The color was beginning to fade as the more she grew in size, the more her thighs would come closer together; causing them to rub against one another more frequently. Almost all of Helga's pants had holes in the thigh part and watching her get frustrated about it was the best part. I insisted she could have my maternity clothes but she declined the offer._

"_Godammit, I have another hole in my pants!" she roared, huffing as she tried to maneuver around her belly to survey the damage. I giggled, setting little Arnold down in his crib before coming to the aid of my best-friend. _

"_Helga, I told you to invest in maternity fashion."_

"_I'm a widely acclaimed author, Phoebes. My books are bigger than that Stephanie Meyer chick. You think I could walk around in some frumpy old maternity clothes to my sold-out book signings? Absolutely not." She answered for me. I smiled. "Besides, if Arnold would stop having super sperm I wouldn't be pregnant again after just having our first child."_

"_You are going to have two sons, Helga!" I squealed. I trotted over to her, rubbing her belly before lightly kissing it. I was genuinely happy for Helga. After years of stalking and terrorizing Arnold, she finally got her fairytale ending of a happy marriage and a loving family. If only mine were as simple and joyous… "I know Arnold is excited."_

"_Yeah, yeah." She dismissed, biting into a piece of leftover banana cake from her baby shower. "Ol' football head is estatic. He wants one more baby, a girl this time, but I told him let's wait until little Arnold is at least two before we bring another baby into the world. I want to be able to have raunchy sex at least one last time before I begin to put up the plywood. Having kids back to back is no walk in the park I tell you that." She took another bite._

_I laughed. "Well, both ways, I am happy for you and I am so excited to meet my second god-child."_

_Helga smirked. "So, back to you Phoebes, what are you so freaked out about?"_

_I sighed, taking a seat next to Helga before I crashed into the cushion of my sofa. I removed a few of the stray streamers and half-deflated balloons. I kept staring at the 'IT'S A BOY' banner; trying to gather my thoughts. I figured Helga would persuade Arnold into asking him but I never thought he would actually say yes to me. I figured he would either pass me along to one of his partners in his firm or suggest someone he knew. I did not think, in a million years, he would actually say yes into taking on my case. I groaned, placing my hood over my head from my sweatshirt. I heard Helga stifle a small snicker._

"_That bad, huh?" I nodded. I heard her shift to get closer to me. "Phoebes, don't worry about it. Gerald is a grown man and I am quite sure he knows that you know this is strictly business."_

"_But I overheard Arnold tell you that his fiancée wanted to darn near kill me when she found out I asked for his help."_

"_Correction, Phoebes." She snapped. "I asked ol' football head to ask tall-hair boy, not you. His prissy fiancée can take her issues up with me if she doesn't shove them up her…"_

"_Helga!" I shouted, giving her a stony look. I turned my gaze to meet the innocent one of little Arnold's. He was smiling at me, giggling softly as he laid on his back playing with his bare feet. "Children are present."_

"_He is too young to understand much anyway." Helga swatted, taking another handful of chips. "Besides, what does it matter what she thinks? Gerald is just helping you keep Haruhi, that's all."_

"_But as his future wife, she has every right to be a little suspicious about me."_

_Helga gave a light nod, thinking before she signed off in approval. "True, but just because you two are exes does not mean you two are not friends. You all were friends way before you two hopped in the sack together."_

"_Helga!" I squeaked, growing crimson in embarrassment. She laughed. "Not in front of the children."_

"_Yeah, yeah." _

I sighed, pouring more cream into Mr. Phillips' coffee. I gave it a light twirl with my stirrer before I skated back over to his stool. He sat idly reading his newspaper. "Here is your coffee, Mr. Phillips. Just that way you like it."

"Four sugars and a whole mess of cream, my dear Phoebe?" I nodded, smiling. He returned the favor, along with a crisp five dollar bill that I earned as my daily tip. Mr. Philips always tipped me every evening after he had his usual breakfast special, small slice of cherry pie, and his piping cup of coffee to soothe himself after a long day at the office. "Thanks, doll."

I winked. "Thank you, Mr. Phillips. Let me know if you need anything else."

I did a quick authenticity check- there have been a lot of fake currency floating around the diner lately- and quickly made my way over to the booth in the far left corner. I took a moment to let my hair down from my god-awful top bun and untied my apron. I announced to Suzie, my supervisor, that I was going to take my fifteen and waited for her to grunt in response like she normally does. I plopped down in the torn seat cushions before I took the crisp five dollar bill Mr. Phillips had given me and slid it on the table. I watched him look up from his stack of papers, confused.

"It's for you." I spoke sweetly. I took out my tips for the day and counted out a cool two-fifty. I was impressed with my earnings as it being the highest amount of tips I earned in a single day. I was proud of myself but also silently screaming at the fact that I had to let it all go just as quickly as I earned it. "I have more too at home if you want me to give it to Helga to give to Arnold."

I watched him smirk, pushing my five dollar bill back towards me. "Keep it."

I placed the rest of my tip money on top of the bill, pushing it back towards him. "No, I insist. You were kind enough to take on my case pro-bono and I want to at least give you something."

"I appreciate it, Phoebe, really but you don't need to give me anything. I want to help you."

I paused to look at him for a minute. I would have almost felt offended if I did not recognize the sincerity in his eyes and the genuineness in this smooth, deep husky voice. As much as I knew Gerald did not want nor _need _the money, I still felt guilty abusing his services for my benefit on the mere fact that we are exes. Gerald was a top-notch lawyer and I wanted him to know I greatly appreciated his help. He refused me serving him free food from the diner and did not want any of my tip money. Even the coffee he was quietly sipping on he paid for out of his own pocket. "But you don't want anything from me."

"Exactly." He deadpanned, getting back to reading over my case. Kato's lawyer sent over some classified legal documents expressing Kato's desire to have mediation with both our lawyer present to avoid having to resort to actually going to court. Kato's laundry list of demands was clear: he wanted Haruhi to live with him for a year or two in Japan and wanted to revise the court order than I had sole physical custody. Kato felt I was not only unfit financially to raise a child but also mentally and emotionally as well. He recently found out about my prescription drug and Benadryl addiction and used that-as well as my unsteady employment, unreliable source of income, and psychological history- against me. "So, about this mediation…"

"It's complete crap." I muttered. "He can't do this to me, can he?"

Gerald heaved a heavy sigh, searching through his documents. Both he and I know Kato was not as squeaky clean as his lawyer made him out to be but without concrete evidence, it was nothing but a bunch of hearsay. "The meditation is a step before actual court where both parties aim to find some common ground." He paused. "Are you sure you don't want to reconsider having Haruhi live with him for a while? You could demand that she only live there in Tokyo for six months while the remainder of the year she lives with you here."

"Of course not!" I barked. "She is my daughter."

"There is a pile of incriminating evidence against you Phoebe." There was a small pause, he beginning to shuffle through his endless supply of notes and files. "Kato has it out for you. Prescription drug addictions, records of psychiatric hospitalizations, written and signed documents disclosing scandalous events in your marriage…" he trailed off, not wanting to say more. He was referring to our affair. "Phoebe, consider his position."

"Why on earth would I want that?!" I defended, getting irritated. "Gerald, how could you even suggest such a thing? You and I both know I am no drug addicted lunatic."

"Phoebe…"

"Haruhi deserves to be with her mother!"

"Calm down, Phoebe. I am on your side." He breathed, closing his manila folder. He pushed it aside near the sugar canister before he stood to sit next to me on my side of the booth. Wrapping me in his arms, he cradled me close. I inhaled his scent, becoming senseless from his mahogany and citrus aroma from the mixture of his cologne and his personal fragrance. I have not been in Gerald's arms in over eight months, the last time being right after we made love for the final time after a spur of the moment picnic we planned on our drive towards the country side. We stopped off at a convenience store and grabbed whatever fresh food they had that did not look too wilted. After about another forty minute drive, we ended up somewhere on a hillside for hours on end ravishing in the essence of each other's company for what seemed like the last time.

I blushed, feeling a familiar warmth spread from my core and ignite a lustful flame that I have not felt since the last time he touched me. I moved gently to gaze up at him, my eyes connecting with his luscious hazelnut brown orbs that not only mesmerized me but hypnotized me as well. I felt my face grow even hotter at the electricity that coursed through the connection between both of us. He was the first to pull away, giving a small cough of embarrassment before he scooted towards the edge of the seat. I had to force myself to calm down in fear of showing mixed signals. As much as I loved Gerald, will always love Gerald for that matter, he was engaged to be married and I had sworn off men for good. I was tired of being hurt and I decided it was best that I embark on a sabbatical free of men indefinitely.

"So…the mediation…you should consider it. Just give me the green light and I can contact his lawyer so we can arrange a date and time."

"Sounds good." I whispered, turning away from him to face the window of the diner. I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly grown extremely dry. I was playing with fire and I knew it needed to stop before either one of us ended up burnt. "I better get back to waiting tables. My fifteen is almost up and I haven't had the chance to even order my lunch yet."

"Oh." He spoke softly, removing himself from the booth to allow me the chance to get out. I wobbly regained my balance on those stupid skates the owner had the waitresses wear to go with the American 50's theme. I thought the large puffy pink skirts, ruffled socks, and low-cute white blouses were humiliating enough. The skates just made us look plum foolish. I nearly slipped until Gerald caught me. "Careful." He breathed.

I looked up at him, silently wishing I could become invisible and melt away into a puddle. I have a weak smile, thanking him for catching me. He stared at each other for a brief moment before we parted ways. I watched him gather his things before he gave me a warm hug and told me he would give me a call sometime tomorrow. I kissed him on his cheek as a 'thank you' before I turned and skated off briskly. I felt my chest tighten as the heat from Gerald's glare burned a hole through the thin fabric of my blouse. I chose to ignore it before I disappeared into the kitchen to make myself a sandwich.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chandra**

**Chapter theme song: 'Stranger in My House' by: Tamia**

_He wouldn't ignore me…so I'm convinced that there is a stranger in my house._

I couldn't break my gaze from Gerald. He was motionlessly sleeping as small breathing puffed his chest in and out against the cotton fabric of our shared comforter. I been up for several hours, thinking and wondering if my worst fear had finally became reality. Gerald had been staying out later than usual since he became partner almost a year ago and has taken up quite the work load. I expected to spend less time with my beloved but I did not expect to wake up and come home to an empty bed almost every evening. I did not mind at first; his bigger salary and exquisite perks that I had grown accustomed to had compensated for the lack of affection I have recently encountered. But it grew old and stagnant to where the occasional diamond bracelet and Minkcoff bag did not bring as much joy to my eyes as it previously did from the beginning. I began to miss my husband and it not only was draining our sex life but dampening our marriage as well.

I keep telling myself that it's the long hours of work he had bestowed unto him with his promotion as partner to his firm, but my intuition was telling me that his ex, Phoebe, was also an underlying cause of his wandering affection. Arnold had suggested that he take on her custody case pro bono as a way to aid her in finding reputable legal representation without having to pay a hefty sum. From what I hear through the grape vine, Phoebe is a waitress at some local diner making less than minimum wage for bussing tables on cheaply constructed roller skates while living in a house Arnold and Helga foot the monthly mortgage for. Part of me wanted to hold some sort of pity for her, though I did empathize with her situation; it must be hard going through a custody battle and being a single mother while her husband relishes in all his financial glory. However, I did not sympathize with the woman. I was not comfortable with Gerald working with Phoebe due to the fact that they are exes, but what choice did I have in the matter? Gerald would always have a space in his heart for his first love; there was nothing I could do to remove her from the depths of his undying emotion.

I watched Gerald shuffle slightly, light snoring cascading throughout our roomy master bedroom. A small smile graced my lips as I pressed them against his. His eyes fluttered open slowly, a look of pure astonishment plastered across his face before I removed the large down comforter from his toned frame to straddle him. He remained silent, caressing the sides of my stomach before reaching up to my shoulder blades to grab the thin, spaghetti straps of my nightgown. He pulled the sheer fabric down to a puddle above my waist to expose my ample breasts. I leaned in for another kiss, returning the favor with his boxers. It didn't take time at all for Gerald to stiffen against my delicate touch; swiftly filling my walls to elicit a round of pleasurable moans to ricochet against the four corners of our suite. He began his rhythm and I matched it as we orchestrated a beautiful symphony filled with harmonious love making and the rough timbre of heated skin.

I awoke the next morning to an empty bed, soreness in my lower region, and a single handwritten note that spoke the three words I longed to hear. I smiled, grabbing the scented stationary to bring it to my face. I took in a good whiff and replayed the scene of our early-morning rendezvous. Peach and sandalwood filled my senses. I took a look at the clock nestled atop the nightstand and saw it was only a quarter past nine. I remembered Gerald had an early meeting this morning and had to be out by seven to make it to the office by eight. That familiar emptiness brimmed again but I paid it not mind; I was the wife of a famed lawyer and the long hours and quixotic work schedule came with the territory as the other edge to my sword amongst the diamonds and pearls. I buried myself deeper against the covers, exposing my nudity against the warm, morning sun. I contemplated giving him a good morning call before the doorbell rang. Grabbing my silk robe from the bathroom, I rushed downstairs to be met with the person I least expected: Phoebe.

I tried to hide my displeasure in seeing her so early in the morning but I could not do so fast enough. The look on her face said it all and that I made her feel quite unwelcomed- which she was.

"Phoebe…"

"I apologize for coming so early in the morning but I wanted to speak to Gerald if that was alright."

_Actually it's not. _ I fake smiled. "Gerald left for work about two hours ago. He won't be back until late this evening so I suggest you make an appointment."

"I understand and I do not wish to disrespect your home, Mrs. Johannssen , but it is urgent I speak to Gerald immediately. It pertains to my case."

"Call him." I spoke flatly, almost regretting it by her change in disposition. "I mean, don't you have his cell number?"

She shook her head. "No, I do not ma'am. I did not take it out of respect for your home."

I gave her a quick look over to see if she was B.S.'ing me but she seemed genuine enough for me to let her in and be a hospitable hostess for the morning. I escorted her into the kitchen where I offered her some orange juice before she politely declined. I watched as she dialed Gerald's cell after I gave her the number, her smile shortening as it was immediately sent to voicemail. She let out a long sigh.

"Damn, do you know when he will be back?"

"Your guess is as good as mine." I shot back honestly, biting into an apple. "He works such a random schedule that even I can't track him."

A soft giggle escaped her lips. "Yeah, Gerald was always like that; changing things on whim and leaving everyone in the dust behind him."

I grew silent, jaws clenched. I steered back on topic. "If there is nothing else I can do for you…"

"Actually, can I stay and wait for Gerald until he gets back?" she rushed into a single sentence. She took in a breath. "I know this is last-minute and…"

"Inconvenient." I interrupted, chiming in irritated. "Phoebe, I understand you two are friends but you waiting for several hours while Gerald is at work is just…"

"I have no other options." She spoke meekly. Her head lowered, eyes now centered on the tile selection in my kitchen than me. "Kato…destroyed my home."

"E-excuse me?"

"My house was set ablaze early this morning. I cannot prove that it was Kato right away, but I know it had something to do with him. He hates me and hates to see me do well without him!"

I watched as she choked back tears. The icy veil I had masking my true emotions was removed as I comforted the sobbing, fragile woman. She buried her head in silk of my robe; moistening it with her many tears that fell against my skin like metal bullets. I patted her head gently, feeling somewhat guilty for treating her so rudely when she first arrived. "Phoebe…"

"I saw two men speed off in a truck when Haruhi and I exited the house. Everything is gone. Helga is out of town and Arnold is not answering is cell either. I have no other options."

"Where is Haruhi?" I asked, genuinely concerned. "Is she with her father?"

She shook her head, blowing her nose on the napkin she retrieved from the holder at the dinner table. "She is at school but I know she is not focused. I want to go get her an early dismissal and just let her clear her mind. I came here because I have no other options at this moment."

"Gerald won't be back for several hours. If you…"

"Please…" she begged, fumbling with her purse to force out a couple of crumpled dollars. The woman was desperate. "I will pay you. Just for a few hours is all I ask."

"I cannot take your money, Phoebe. You are a good friend of my husband and I won't dare charge you for staying in our home."

She sniffled, tears still streaming down her porcelain face. "But, I would hate to impose and make you feel…"

"No one can make me feel any kind of way." I interrupted, smiling. "I'll try and call Gerald's boss in a bit but for now, you make yourself at home and I'll make some breakfast. Feel free to call Haruhi's school if you must. I can drive you to go get her."

"You don't mind?"

I shook my head. "It's the least I can do." And I knew Gerald would berate me if I did not help her. After I took a quick shower, put on my sweats and _Gerald's_ t-shirt, I took Phoebe to Haruhi's school to get her an early dismissal. The car ride was short, a deathly spell of quiet placed against the both of us to ignore the hypothetical green elephant in the room. She tried to speak on numerous occasions but closed her mouth as quickly as she had opened it. I wanted to make light, casual conversation but I was unable to do so in fear of saying the wrong things. I simply opted for some random radio station to fill the void.

Once Phoebe retrieved Haruhi from school, I took them back to my home and, being a phenomenal hostess, I made them both breakfast to make them feel less as strangers and more as house guests. Haruhi began making petty conversation to pass the time. She was still too young to sense what was really going on but could notice the tension between me and her mother was as thick as red brick. She talked about school, her plans for summer vacation, and how her impending trip to Japan was at the forefront of hr excitement. I plastered a permanent faux smile throughout the course of our conversation to show 'interest' and engagement. I honestly did not care about what was being said at all; I was more concerned at deciphering Phoebe.

What had Gerald seen in her? She was as pale as freshly fallen snow, but had the blush of a red rose deep within her full cheeks. Her hair was dark as midnight, shiny, flowing and long against her back but it lacked any luster and volume. Her breasts were quite large- probably a byproduct of pregnancy- but she had no ass what-so-ever. Her petite hour-glass frame was breathtakingly striking, but her height made it look relatively awkward. It was minor details I could notice about Phoebe, however I still could not see what made her so special to Gerald. Was it the mere fact that she was exotic as herself? Black men tended to lean more towards fairer women with lustful features that are not primarily seen growing up in the 'hood'. Due to the contrasting differences in both Gerald's upbringing and mine, I could understand that theory. Gerald grew up in a more…diverse town against my more….homogenous one.

But it did not account for much. What was it about this woman that would make Gerald go to the moon and back if it meant to make her happy? A small, awkward smile was shot my way from Phoebe as she took a bite out of my eggs. A small compliment followed suit and I thanked her. I turned to wash the dishes- and keep my creepy staring to a minimum- before I heard the front door open and slam close. I took in a deep breath, closing my eyes as I thanked the heavens that he had arrived home early.

"Where is Phoebe?" He asked from the foyer, taking off his shoes near the door before coming into the kitchen. Haruhi screamed out in sheer delight as she hopped down from her bar stool and gave Gerald a bear hug. He picked her up, placing a small kiss on her cheek.

"Papa Gerald!" She hugged him again, this time with my vigor. The word 'papa' left a bitter, sour taste in my mouth. Gerald was father to only one child and it most certainly was not this brat. "I miss you."

"I missed you too, Haruhi. You have gotten so big."

"I'll be ten this year in August."

"Then we must throw you the biggest party to date, my dear. Turning double-digits is a milestone." She smiled, beaming pure happiness. It sickened me.

"Where is your daughter?"

"With her grandparents down at the lake for the summer. Her school lets out a little earlier than yours but she visits every weekend. This weekend you will have to meet her."

Haruhi nodded, still smiling. I watched as Gerald placed her back on the ground and instructed that she go watch some television while he and her mother had an adult conversation. She gave one last hug before disappearing into the other room to watch some cartoon I paid no mind to. It was the same one Alicia watched.

Gerald immediately engulfed Phoebe in a hug, placing a chaste kiss upon her forehead as she started crying again. I felt my grip on the butter knife I was holding stiffen at the sight. I did not want him touching her, regardless of their current relationship. She was his ex and I was here to make sure it damn well stayed that way. Who did this busty bimbo think she was barging into my home taking my man? I was no longer the fiancée she knew off when he first introduced us; I was now the _wife_.

He calmed her, wiping stray tears from her face. "It's alright, love."

_Love? _

"Gerald, I have nowhere to go. I can't even prove that Kato did burn down my house. The insurance companies…"

"Are taken care of." He finished. "Arnold called me at six this morning to tell me the news and I rushed down to the office to consult with one of my colleagues who is more rehearsed on this type of law and he is looking into it."

"But, the police had escorted me off the premises before I could ask questions and…."

"A friend of mine works with the local fire-department. I am awaiting a call from him now and as soon as he can prove that the fire was indeed started intentionally from a third party, then I will send in my guys with a court order to search the place." He hugged her again. "It's all being taken care of, Phoebe."

I felt green with envy as they embraced again. I thought he left early for some board meeting. He left me…our bed…our home to rescue a damsel in distress that happened to be his ex-girlfriend. Why did he not tell me he was going to help her? Why did he not communicate to me that all this had happened? I took in a deep breath in order to calm my nerves, realizing I was clenching onto the butter-knife for dear life in a rush of pure rage.

"But…" she continued. "Helga is out of town for the weekend on her book signing tour and I don't want to make Arnold feel uncomfortable feeling he has to support three people in his home now. He offered me his spare gust room but I can't take it; and I only have enough money in my savings to rent a hotel room for a night or so."

"You can stay in my spare guest room and Haruhi can have the other so she can have her own space." He finished. I damn near chocked.

"E-excuse me?" I butted in, earning stares. I cleared my throat. "I mean…shouldn't we discuss this first, Gerald?"

"Chandra…"

"I think we need to talk for a minute." I deadpanned, immediately glaring at Phoebe. I watched her flinch. "Do you mind leaving the kitchen so Gerald and I can talk?"

She shook her head, forcing a small smile before quickly removing herself from the bar stool to maneuver past Gerald and away from my not-so-timid frame. I waited until she was out of earshot to dig into him. "The hell!?"

"Chandra, that was rude."

"No, what is rude is you inviting her to stay in our home without consulting me first."

"She has nowhere to go."

"A fucking hotel is made for situations like this!" I barked, trying to control my sudden flow of anger and adrenaline. Gerald rubbed his temples, trying to calm down himself. He hated when we argued and we seemed to be doing a lot of that lately. "Gerald, I am trying to be sympathetic, but a hotel is not a rule-out option. She has to go there."

"The closest, decent, hotel is downtown which is forty miles away. Phoebe works only ten away from our home and Haruhi's school is less than five."

"Trains and busses." I combated. "There is a train that runs to and from the city daily and I will be happy to buy her a weekend pass."

Gerald sucked in his teeth, glaring at me repulsively. It caught me a little off-guard. I have never seen Gerald look so disgusted and it made me shiver in thought. "You cannot be serious!"

"I don't feel comfortable with her in my house!"

"Why!?" he roared. "You think because we slept together at one point in time I'm going to immediately fall to into her arms again? Is that is Chandra? Do you feel threatened with my ex living under the same roof as my wife?"

I grew quiet, trying my damndest to ebb my anger in a half-hearted attempt to salvage this conversation. Truth was I was jealous and a little intimidated. This was the very woman that left his heart in shambles for me to pick up all the pieces and the same woman he is so quick to let back into his life without second thought. We both remained quiet for awhile, gathering our thoughts as our emotions were reeled back in order to simmer our tempers.

"Gerald…I just don't feel comfortable with your ex living in my home."

"She was my friend before anything ever happened between us, Chandra."

"I understand that, I do, but how would you feel if Michael was to come over and just ask to live here?"

He sighed, leaning back against the stainless steel of our new stove. "She did not ask to live her, Chandra, I invited her. And to be perfectly honest, as much as I would not like it, you have known Michael for damn near twenty years. He was here before I was so if he genuinely had no other options, I would not mind."

"Bullshit!" I spat with venom. I was tired of being cordial and polite. I wanted to end this conversation now and I was putting my foot down. "You mean to tell me that if my ex-fiancée needed a place to stay you would house him?"

"Not indefinitely, Chandra!" he shot back with equal amounts of poison. "It'll only be for a few days and you act like I said she could sleep with us in our bed."

"So you clearly are dismissing my feelings on the situation, huh?" I crossed my arms, tapping my foot. "You don't care how uncomfortable this makes me feel."

He sighed. "Chandra, be reasonable for a second."

"No, Gerald!" I slammed my fists against the countertop. There was a cloak of eerie silence that engulfed the house and I immediately went into the living room to find both Phoebe and Haruhi missing. Gerald had reached for his cell phone and dialed her number several times- all of them going straight to voicemail. He let out a low growl before punching a wall to release his frustrations. He shot me one last look before turning away from me to grab his shoes and car keys from the foyer. I reached out and grabbed his shoulder, but he jerked away from me. He warned to leave him alone in fear of having him say something he would immediately regret but I could not muster the courage. I grabbed him one last time before he snatched my wrists to pin me against a wall near the front door. If I was not feeling so guilty, I would have found the scene erotic.

Gerald remained silent, my breasts pressed against his chest as my breathing grew deep and ragged. He released me before telling me to give him some space for awhile. Before he could leave out of the front door I reached for his hand, grabbing it for dear life. I stunned him briefly, even myself, before I met my hazel eyes with his.

"Do you still love her?"

He remained quiet, pulling away from me before closing the front door behind him.

_Took a while to figure it out, there is no way you could be who you say you are…you have to be someone else_


	5. Chapter 5

**Gerald**

**Chapter theme song: 'Uh Oh' by: The Cheetah Girls (TCG)**

I tossed and turned, trying to get even remotely comfortable. I had been up for three hours trying to get even the slightest bit of sleep but to no avail. Arnold's couch was just too damn lumpy, stiff, and uncomfortable for me to get a good night's rest. After my fight with Chandra the other day, she thought it be best I stay in a hotel for the weekend since I was so keen on allowing my ex-girlfriend to stay in our home without consulting her. I tried to reason with her but one thing I learned at a young age from watching my father was to never antagonize an angry Black woman; it'll only go downhill from then on out.

I shuffled, trying to find solace on Arnold's couch. I glanced at the grandfather clock mounted on the fireplace, it reading a fifteen after three. I groaned, knowing that it was practically pointless for me to even try and doze off when I had to be in the office by seven. It was a little under forty-five minutes to drive downtown from here and I knew the early morning commute would be hectic so I had to allot myself an extra twenty minutes against my drive to work. I sat up, half angry, half completely exhausted; grabbing the television remote from the coffee table to flip on some television.

I settled on a rerun of The Maury Show but found no pleasure in watching women insult themselves by testing several men on national television to find out who their 'baby daddy' was. I found myself replaying the day's events, Phoebe and her mediation with her bastard husband Kato coming to mind specifically.

"_E-excuse me?" she stammered, fisting down her coffee against the table. I tried to calm her, as did Larry with his client but our efforts went unnoticed by the two 'respectable parties'. "You did NOT just say that, Kato-san."_

"_Phoebe, I just personally feel that Haruhi is better suited in a more stable environment. You are a waitress and Kami help me, you are not emotionally or mentally prepared to raise a child alone."_

"_How dare you question my motherly capabilities? I am a wonderful mother to our daughter and my past discrepancies do not take away any merit I have in being her mother."_

"_So the addiction, the lying, the…" he paused, readjusting his tie before he glared at both me and Phoebe. There was a small smirk plastered against his face before he spoke. "…alleged affair that transpired within our marriage. I feel it is best Haruhi be in a more…family environment."_

_I mentally pictured myself strangling the shit out that pompous bastard. As a professional, I was required to keep a straight face not only for Phoebe but as well to uphold the standards of both my reputation as well as my firm's; but if I was not wearing the suit and in front of important people, I would have settled the score outside in the parking lot. He knew bringing up my affair with Phoebe was a low blow and made her look dishonorable. It was bad enough the judicial system was verbally biased towards females in the court room by allowing loopholes to bring out a woman's past discretions and character based on her personal life. What made matters worse was the preceding judge over the case was a known hard ass that tended to look down upon unmarried women with children out of wedlock or scandalous past transgressions. I tried to request another judge on the grounds of compromising the case but with so much going on, I had little to no leverage on having things go my way._

_Phoebe bit her bottom lip, starting to violently shake. She looked at me, silently asking me for council on what her next move should be in this deadly game of chess she was forced to play. I looked at her, thinking quickly for the best possible way to smooth things over. Kato had to be the one to be the asshole in the room and bring up the obvious._

"_I don't feel comfortable with my ex-wife being represented by her ex-boyfriend; the reason we are divorced in the first place."_

_My eyes bulged slightly, I regaining my composure quickly before anyone could notice. I grew tense, feeling my anger begin to simmer over. I never liked this guy and now he was pushing every button to the fullest. My colleague, Larry, had served me an icy glance before returning to speak with his client. Kato had whispered something in his ear before excusing himself for the remainder of the mediation. Larry informed me that Kato had requested me postpone the mediation for another time when tempers were more evenly distributed and Phoebe had sought out a more…neutral…representative. I let out a heavy sigh, closing my manila folder with the notes to the case, shooting Larry an annoyed look that he truly sympathized for. We decided we would catch each other up to speed later in the week over a beer to hear all the inglorious details of my affair with a married woman. _

I ran a single hand through my hair, massaging my scalp to calm my nerves. Kato was one man I gladly would execute if I had the divine opportunity. He was one of those people that knew how to manipulate someone's weakness in order to use it to his advantage in foul play. He was tactful, very skillful in his strategy but an overall asshole. He knew Phoebe was as harmless as they come and that Haruhi being with her majority of the time was the best thing for his daughter; he just wanting to hurt Phoebe just as much as she hurt him when he found out about our affair. He had never truly gotten over the fact that I almost took back a wife he never truly had to begin with, he being accustomed to having a home field advantage and being the alpha male within his home. Kato's personality can be defined as sadistic and he definitely enjoyed every bit of it.

I looked back at the clock and saw it was close to four in the morning. I had yet to get an ounce of sleep and figured it still be foolish of me to try again now. I decided that the only way I was going to be able to run a full, functional day without any sleep in the past thirty hours was to get a good workout in before I downed a gallon of dark roasted coffee-black. I remembered Arnold had an in-home gym down in his basement he had set up two summers ago. He bought it as an alternative to spending money at his local gym but since he received a complimentary one year membership to the fancy, upscale health and fitness center downtown from a raffle they had in his hospital's annual raffle, he forgot all about his home gym and allowed it to collect dust.

I flipped off Maury, folded up the spare comforter and restocked it in the hall closet before I made my way downstairs for an early morning workout. I had been so busy with work, planning my wedding, and Alicia that I had little time to maintain my physical shape. I still maintained a healthy, balanced diet but I became so caught up with work that my tri-weekly trips to the gym slowly dwindled into twice a week and then, ultimately, once a week. I was beginning to lose muscle mass as that eight-pack I had worked long and hard to achieve started to downgrade to a six in the matter of three months. I had wanted this body since I was in fourth grade and was not going to let becoming partner at my firm stop that for me.

Before I even decided to go into law and politics, I had dreams of becoming a bodybuilder and having muscles the size of a watermelon to get all the ladies to look at me as I walked by. I smiled in memory of my childhood years, wishing slightly that, even just for a second, I could go back. It all seemed easy back then. There were no responsibilities, no kids to raise, no bills to pay, no full-time job, but most importantly, sex and women were the farthest thing from my mind. I was more focused on looking good in a speedo- no matter how cheesy that may sound.

I raced downstairs to begin my first set of pull-ups to strengthen my upper body before I decided to go all in on my core workout when I saw Phoebe. She was bouncing on one of Helga's Pilates balls and listening to music. I smiled, watching her bounce around, having fun. It completely slipped my mind that she was also staying with Arnold and Helga- she Helga's guests and I was Arnold's. She had the spare guest room and I chose to be a gentleman and sleep on the couch until my wife granted me the keys back to my own house. At first it had been a little awkward, especially after this afternoon's fiasco with the mediation, but as two mature adults we managed to undo some of the tension and keep things moving to maintain the peace. After all, Helga and Arnold were kind enough to let me impose on them for a few days while Chandra took some time to herself to clear her mind. The last thing I wanted to do was make this the least bit uneasy.

I allowed a small smile to curl against my lips, watching her soft, raven hair gracefully move with each movement she made. She started singing a few of the lyrics to the song she was singing and let out a light giggle. It was in Japanese so I had no idea as to what she was saying but she looked too adorable to pass up the opportunity to watch. She seemed so at peace with herself, laughing and having a good time as if it were her last few moments of freedom. She managed to slip off the ball and laugh at herself when she fell against the soft carpet of the basement. I felt a small wave of heat flood my cheeks when I saw that she only was wearing an oversized t-shirt and thin panties.

I forced myself to look away, careful to not make myself known as I tried to climb back up the stairs. I didn't see the baby rattle that was forgotten at the bottom of the stairs, finding myself stepping on it only to slip and tumble backwards into a few boxes of the leftover decorations from Helga's baby shower. I hit my head against the wall on my way down, it stinging like hell as I tried to hold some pressure to my self-inflicted wound. Phoebe heard the crash and was startled to find me tangled in blue and silver streamers, confetti, and 'It's a Boy' party hats; lightly giggling.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah." I groaned out, removing one of the hats. "Just thought I help Helga spruce up a bit."

She smiled, removing her ear buds to come to my rescue. I blushed a deep burgundy and thanked God she could not notice. I watched her sashay over, the too-large t-shirt draping over her left shoulder as it hung off loosely on her right. It barely covered her front but exposed just enough thigh to keep my imagination running wild like an untamed stallion. It never ceases to amaze me at how I am able to see every crevice of that woman's body and still get flushed as if it were my first time.

"You did some kind of work there, Gerald." She kneeled before me, brushing off some of the confetti before noticing the small growing knot on my forehead. She gasped. "Oh my, what happened?"

"That damn rattle at the foot of the stairs. I slipped and fell and found myself knocking my head against the wall on the way down." I flinched in pain when she touched it. "Damn toys."

She stood to scurry to the icebox Arnold had in the laundry room where he kept the liquor and large, bulky food items stashed away for parties. Phoebe returned back with a bottle of champagne wrapped in a moist towel, kneeling, this time, between my legs to compress it against my swollen head. "This better?"

I nodded. "Thanks." I sat up, pushing away those damn boxes. Phoebe simply smiled, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear. I felt myself stiffen and decided the knot against my head was the least of my worries so thought he be best to reposition the bottle of champagne to avoid the obvious.

"I…never got to say thank you for helping me with my case." She blushed. "I know yesterday was terrible and I understand if you decide to quit but I do appreciate everything you have done."

"Who said I was going to quit?"

Her eyes lit up. "But, Kato requested that I seek new representation."

"Doesn't mean you have to." I whispered. I decided it was time to put the cold bottle against my forehead. It was beginning to burn. "God, my head hurts."

"Will you be ok?" She asked, genuinely concerned. She moved a little closer, now straddling me completely to examine my forehead. I haven't been this close to her in over a year. I inhaled her scent, the same as ever and had to resist the urge to give into my carnal instincts. "Let me see."

"No, it's fine." I pulled away. I took a small glance at my left hand and gazed at my band. I sighed. "I better get back upstairs now. I suddenly lost the urge to work out now."

"Why are you up so early? Don't you have work in a couple hours?"

"Yeah, but Arnold's couch is so damn uncomfortable I could barely sleep." I paused, finally looking at her. Even with no makeup on, hair messy, and in a simple shirt and panty she was one of the most gorgeous women I have ever laid eyes on. "But I think I can finally muster up the strength to get some sleep."

"You sure?"

"Positive." I forced a smile. "Why were you up?"

She shrugged. "Same reason I guess. I have a lot on my mind and thought the best way to relax was through music. I just happened to run into Helga's ball and decided to bounce on it since I like big balls so much."

She grew quiet, biting her bottom lip in thought. I let out a low rumble of laughter, she doing the same. Apparently I wasn't the only one that found that kind of perverted. "You like big balls, huh?"

"I did not mean it like that." She laughed, playfully slapping me on the arm. That familiar awkward silenced blanketed us again, this time not letting up. I sought words to say, practically anything, but Phoebe was the one to make a move. She gave me a gentle hug, wrapping her arms around my neck before placing a small kiss on my right cheek. She remained silent, breathing softly against my neck. I returned the favor, setting the bottle of champagne down against the floor to wrap my arms around her waist.

I buried my head between her shoulder and closed my eyes, for the first time all night finally being able to find myself able to sleep. We didn't say anything for a long while, just laying against one another until the sun rose two hours later where Helga had found us semi-cuddled up together in a pile of boxes filled with the decorations from her baby shower. I don't know when we both fell asleep, let alone in each other's arms, but I know that all I heard was Helga screaming 'No sex in the basement' to the fresh smell of frying bacon.

**A/N: As promised (See, me no forget. *smiles*) I hope you all like. I am going to be focusing more on finishing up this story now before I wrap up my Rhonda and Curly story. I also wanted to write a Harold and Big Patty fic but I don't know. I have pennies for my kittens thoughts. Anyhoo, I'm tired and writing all this lustful fiction has got me feeling….'excited' so I think I am about to turn off my laptop, curl up to my husband, and…watch the encore season finale of Scandal. You kittens need to get your minds out the gutters. *wink* Until next time loves! -SP**


	6. Chapter 6

**Phoebe **

**Chapter theme song: 'Higher' by: Jhene Aiko ( - - Love this woman!)**

I slipped into my black dress, zipping the side zipper up slowly against my slick skin. My shaky hands barely were able to make it all the way up to the brink but I managed with a few shallow breaths. I looked at myself in mirror, carefully examining myself to see if I still looked the same. I looked at my long, raven hair that draped against the edges of my shoulders to land against my tender breasts, my low eyes that were filled with doubt and confusion as my face grew flushed with embarrassment. I was still the same woman, but I was becoming more and more unfamiliar with the days that passed.

The other week, I had woken up inside of Gerald's strong…familiar arms and it did not seem foreign at all. Helga screams woke us up from our slumber, his eyes groggier than mine from his sudden spell of insomnia, and startled us into realizing our position. I quickly scrambled away in order to collect my thoughts while Gerald immediately stood and marched up the stairs past a clearly irate Helga into the kitchen with Arnold. Since then, things have been a little awkward between us. With Kato out the country for the week, my case was put on hold until Kato had landed back into the states and allowed us to reconvene for another attempt at mediation before actually motioning a court case. Gerald had tried to go home the other day but came back in a fury with even more of his things…and a missing wedding band.

I had wanted to ask him was everything alright and what had happened at Chandra's place but it didn't seem like the right time given that he was directly punching a wall with his bare fists. Arnold had to scurry downstairs to calm him before he broke something and had led him out to the backyard for some good guy talk and a few beers. I peeked through the screen of the patio and only caught bits and pieces of the conversation but from what I had heard, Chandra had changed the locks, thrown Gerald out indefinitely, and may have been having an affair with her ex-fiancée. My heart bled for Gerald but I was in no position to speak or cast judgment; just a few years ago me being in the same position where I was the one being the adulterer in the relationship and breaking my marital vows against Kato with Gerald. Now karma was back to bite him in the rear and she had proven herself to be quite the contender.

I pulled my hair into a French bun, securing it with numerous hair pins before I took out my curling wand to readjust a few loose curls and add some last minute touches to my look. I looked at the makeup Helga had bought me from the department store and smiled, reminiscing about our afternoon and how it felt to feel like we were girls again. With Helga and I being grown women with families and careers- some more than others, it was hard for us to spend some bonding time with one another anymore due to our busy schedules or family obligations. With me being an only child and Helga being the black sheep of the family, it was imperative we had made time for one another when we were growing up to ensure we never grew distant or allowed our own lives to weaken the strength of our friendship.

I peppered my lips with a layer of nude gloss to complement the dusky shadow pallet I had chosen to dust my eyes with. I sprinkled on a layer of blush and added my eyeliner as finishing touches before taking a final glance at myself in the mirror. I began to grow a bit nervous; this being the first time I had been out with Gerald officially since he had came to Japan years ago. He had invited me to his firm's annual staff appreciation dinner at some elegant banquet hall and since he and Chandra fell out just days before, he had asked me if I was interested to go in her place since he did not feel up t be bombarded with questions as to being alone. I had asked him if it was such a good idea that I attend the dinner with everyone in his firm knowing full well he was married…with a kid, but he assured me it would be fine and we were just going as friends. I had to keep reminding myself of the last word repeatedly…_friends_.

Lately, I have been unable to keep those familiar feelings for my ex at bay. Gerald and I have been spending more time than usual with one another and it was starting to take a toll on me physically, mentally, and emotionally. I have not seen Gerald since the day he made partner a year ago and before that it had been a few years. With my marital issues with Kato, out divorce, and the custody of our daughter, I was going through a hailstorm of legal issues that I was not prepared to deal with at all. I was more than happy when Helga had asked Arnold to talk to Gerald for me about helping me with my case against Kato for the sole parental rights of our daughter, but I did not take into account how the constant interaction between us would affect me personally. It initially started off as Gerald doing an old friend a favor- a business transaction basically. But the coffee dates, secret meetings in the park without his wife knowing, and dinner meetings soon detoured from being business related to us talking about anything and everything from the past, our families, and even…what could have been with us.

I sometimes would blow off Gerald to let my conscience breathe but even then I would still feel horrible for sneaking around with a married man. Even though we technically weren't doing anything wrong or immoral, the silent words spoken, the tender touches he would give me that yearned with intense longing, the way his eyes would graze over me longingly a little longer than usual all spoke volumes that the feelings he had for me since we were just children have not been forgotten; and how can they with the history he and I share? I knew Gerald still had feelings for me, and I for him, which is why I decided it be best I leave when he and Chandra got into that argument over me staying there a few nights after my house had been unfortunately destroyed through arson. But I could not begin to mask my feelings as well when being around Gerald twenty-four, seven only recreated the memories I had longed to forget. Just being under the same roof…in the same room…touching the cotton towels that draped over the bathroom rack in his cologne made my senses pace with the matched speed of an untamed wild beast.

I was getting too emotionally involved in a situation I knew would only turn toxic too quickly if I decided to continue on with Gerald being my legal representation. Pro bono or not, mixing personal feelings with the events of business was not a smart move on either of our parts and maybe Kato was onto something when he suggested I find other representation. I knew Gerald's marriage was on the rocks because I suddenly reemerged into the picture as the infamous ex-girlfriend that shattered his heart; and I knew that I was not doing myself justice in allowing myself to cling to the memories of the past and dance with the forbidden temptation of lust. I needed to end things with Gerald, starting with this dinner.

I grabbed my clutch and headed out of my room to meet Gerald in the dining room. To my surprise, he was not nursing down a shot of vodka- his signature drink he had taken to whenever he had to be in a room with his bosses- but was in the backyard on a sprawled out lawn chair gazing at the full moon. I smiled; putting on my house slippers nestled near the doorway to join him. It was a little chilly so I grabbed us a small throw from atop of the sofa.

I thought maybe he was dozing off to sleep, but Gerald was clearly relaxed…more relaxed than he had ever been. He had a bottle of water in one hand and a joint in the other, taking a small hit before exhaling a thick cloud of smoke against the majestic mauve limelight of the night sky. It took me a back a bit. I have not seen Gerald smoke anything since high-school, let alone marijuana. Arnold and Gerald did it recreationally back during our freshman year of high-school at a senior's party to look 'cool' and fit in. They did not anticipate that they would enjoy it but decided on only taking part in it right before finals week or before a big term paper was due- basically whenever they were under huge amounts of stress. Helga and I tried it once before with them, Helga taking it like a pro while I choked and got laughed at the entire time; but I did not particularly care for the taste or the smell.

"You alright?"

He nodded, still gazing at the moon and the small stars that twinkled through the thick rain clouds. "You look nice tonight, Phoebe."

I blushed slightly, taking a seat next to him. "Thank you." There was a small pause. "I didn't know you still smoked."

He shrugged, taking another hit. "Only during the most stressful times of my life is when I break out my trusty friend here. I need something to calm me down if I am going to be surrounded by the blood-thirsty vultures I work with all night."

"Wouldn't you be classified as one of them too? You are a lawyer." I smiled, giggling.

He gave me a small smirk. "You're funny."

I scooted my chair a little bit closer to his, reaching over him to take the makeshift cigarette away from him. I decided there was no harm in trying it one last time for the sake of the moment. I inhaled it roughly, coughing the whole time. Gerald let out a hearty laugh before coming to my rescue by patting me gently on the back and giving me a swig of his water. "Still a novice I see."

"Shut up!" I coughed, determined to get this smoking weed thing right. "I can do it too."

"Why do you want to?"

"I want to see what all the fuss is about."

He cracked another small smile, handing it back to me. "For starters, don't inhale it all at once. You will choke and look like a fish out of water."

"Kind of like what I just did?" he nodded, chuckling.

"Inhale slowly, sensually…let it flow naturally."

I did as I was told, closing my eyes as I took in a deep breath of smoke. I felt my head tingle slightly, holding it in for a few seconds before blowing it out briskly. I opened one eye to seek approval and was pleasantly given a thumbs up from my teacher. I beamed with joy, feeling accomplished. "I did it!"

"Congratulations." His tone dripped with husky sarcasm. "You are a professional."

I nudged him in the shoulder, giggling. He smiled. We moved our lawn chairs a bit closer together until they touched, our eyes connecting as our hands slowly glided over each other's skin. I felt myself blush, my eyes turning away to meet the sudden movements of a small rabbit in the far bushes near Helga's rose garden. Gerald placed a small finger underneath my chin, bringing my gaze to meet his. I stared into his dark brown eyes as he looked into my onyx ones, our souls silently screaming out to one another in hushed murmurs. He inched slightly…our lips practically touching before he pulled away much to my disappointment.

Before I could say anything, Gerald had begun another round; taking a long, well-deserved drag before blowing it slowly against the crisp breeze of the night. He passed it to me, this time me wanting to try something different. I inhaled slow and sensual, just like I was told, and let it wrap me up in all its taboo glory. I closed my eyes, exhaling through my nose in small amounts. I opened my mouth and puffed out a small, circular ring. I startled myself but felt damn good. I was getting good.

Gerald seemed impressed, asking me to do it again. I complied, this time asking him to come near me to try something a little different this time around. I positioned myself atop of his lap, allowing the wool blanket I grabbed from the sofa to pool against my waist and settle into a mound of warmth atop of his knees. Gerald's eyes were low; his train of thought now slowing as the animal inside of him began to wander. He placed his hands around my waist, rubbing the bed of his thumbs gently against my smooth skin to warm me from the chilling kiss of the night. I took in my own drag, closing my eyes once more before I leaned over Gerald. I opened my mouth, he opening his as I blew several rings into his kiss. He recited it back to me, leaving me to turn back against the amethyst night to finally release the clouds of smoke into the air.

I gazed at Gerald with low eyes, myself feeling warm and carefree so suddenly. He snaked his hands into hair, unpinning my neat bun to allow my curls to cascade down my back. I undid his stiff tie and unbuttoned the top three buttons of his dress shirt with haste. Leaning up, Gerald propped himself on his elbows to look at me intently. My mind told me to stop this before things got too out of character and to finally end this never-ending game of cat and mouse we have been playing since the dawn of time, but my heart and hormones were telling me otherwise. I came out here to tell him that this was not such a good idea and I was only reconfirming my initial thoughts by erotically seducing my ex-boyfriend. Although we were both clearly out of our minds-literally-it did not excuse our behavior.

He is married, with a child and I am a single-mother with a shaky history with men. The last thing I needed to do was get wrapped up in my past. I took in a deep breath, trying to come to my senses but it was not enough. Gerald palmed the back of my head to bring me into a slow kiss. My first instinct was to pull away, but my soul had desired that I only deepen it further. I snaked my tongue out to meet his, twirling and thrusting it for dominance over his skilled one as my hands roamed his chest through his suit jacket. I felt him slowly hike up my dress, exposing my lace panty to the cool air that only heightened my arousal. I gently bit his bottom lip, pulling away.

"Let's stay in tonight."

"Okay."

**A/N: I love Jhene Aiko! She is AMAZING. I suggest you all listen to her stuff on youtube. She is slept on so hard. But anyhoo, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I feel like I have not updated my Gerald and Phoebe story in so long. I can't forget my two lovebirds. Comments and suggestions are always welcomed. I am sorry I am not updating like usual. I did warn that this summer I would not be updating because my internship in Oregon as well as the writing and editing of my own literary works professionally and well…it's happening. Sorry kittens. I love you guys though! I will try and update when I can and will definitely keep you all in tuned with all my progress! Thanks for enjoying my twisted, dark fantasies- SP**


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